Apparatus for rotarily punching webs of paper



Oct. 15, 1963 H. w. HUFFMAN ,8

APPARATUS FOR ROTARILY PUNCHING- WEBS OF PAPER Original Filed Feb. 6,1958 I ZSheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 1gQ .9 mam/.0 w. HUFFMAN United StatesPatent Claims. (Cl. 83-345) This is a continuation of my pending patentapplication Serial No. 713,646, filed February 6, 1958, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for rotarily punching websof paper or similar material. Punched webs are used quite generally inbusiness machines, calculators, and the like, the web being usually ofpaper wound in roll formation and having one or both of its side marginsperforated throughout the length of the web. The perforations areusually in line formation marginally of the web, and may be equallyspaced apart. It is highly desirable that the perforations be accuratelyformed with clean, sharply cut edges free of burrs, and that theperforating operation be capable of high speed performance withoutinterruption.

'It is generally known that best results in the perforating of paperwebs is obtained by eliminating shearing action between the punch andits die as the web is subjected thereto. That is, the cutting edge ofthe punch should preferably meet the cutting edge of the die in exactparallelism at opposite faces of the web, so that removal of material atthe perforation is instantaneous all around the edge of the perforation,rather than being progressive, as the term shearing implies. The matterof eliminating shear in perforating paper webs at high speed, has beencomplicated by the fact that high speed operation requires use of therotary method, which involves feeding the web between oppositelyrotating highspeed rolls or wheels carrying complementary radial punchesand dies which, by reason of arcuacy of the wheel peripheries, arenaturally induced to shear rather than press-cut, as the punches rollarcuately into the die openings to produce the perforations.

Previous efforts to eliminate shear in perforating by the rotary method,have involved the use of highly complicated and expensive oscillatorymounts for the punches and dies, built into the rolls or wheels whichcarry them, and actuated by various complex systems of cams, levers, orother mechanical elements geared to the operating mechanism of theapparatus. The prior devices were extremely heavy and expensive,required the employment of intricate parts in great numbers, and werevery difficult to service, lubricate, and adjust within the confines ofthe wheels or rolls. Such devices were subject to rnany otherobjections, not necessary to here relate in full.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatusfor perforating webs by the rotary method, with great savings of expensein the apparatus and in the use thereof.

Another object of the invention is to effect extraordinarysimplification of means in an apparatus for the purposes stated, withrespect to eliminating shear in perforating the web, in favor ofpress-cutting to ensure the formation of accurately shaped clean-cutperforations.

A further object is to reduce to a minimum the need for servicing a webperforating apparatus, and to expedite and facilitate such servicing asthe apparatus might require in maintaining the punches and complementarydies in working condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for webperforating which ensures sustained rapid screws 23 or other fasteners,as shown.

3,l%,859 Patented Get. 15, 1963 2 production without frequentinterruption, while at the same time improving the quality of the workperformed.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means describedherein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a roll or wheel of the perforatingapparatus which carries the punches, part of the wheel being broken awayto show interior structure.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the wheel or roll illustrated by FIG. 1,mounted upon a supporting shaft.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 33of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmental large-scale cross-sectional view of twoco-operating wheels of the perforating apparatus, one carrying thepunches and the other carrying the cor responding dies, shown operatingupon a web undergoing perforating.

In general, the perforating apparatus (FIG. 4) may comprise a pair ofcircular wheels, rolls, or drums 7 and 8, supported for rotation aboutspaced parallel axes so arranged that the peripheries of the wheels movein close proximity .to one another, as will be explained in detailhereinafter. Due to the enlarged scale upon which FIG. 4 is drawn, theaxes of rotation of the Wheels are olf the drawing sheet; however, theaxis of each wheel is on the broken line A which coincides with adiameter of each wheel. Line A locates an imaginary plane which includesthe wheel axes and a line normal to both wheel peripheries at theirproximal points. The plane referred to may be designated as the commonbisecting plane of the perforating wheels.

Refer-ring to FIG. 4, it will be noted that the perforating wheels 7 and8 rotate in opposite directions, at equal peripheral speeds. Between thewheels is fed a web 9 to be perforated, the web moving in substantialcorrespondency with the peripheral speed of the perforating wheels.Wheel 8 carries a multiplicity of punches 10 exposed at the wheelperiphery, and wheel 7 carries an equal number of dies with which thepunches cooperate in perforating the web. Certain of the punches areidentified at 10a, 16b, 10c, 10d, idle, whereas their co-operative diesare identified as r1251, 12!), 12c, 12d, and 126. As the wheels 7 and 8rotate as suggested by FIG. 4, the punches approach the dies insuccession to form a row of holes 18 in the moving web 9.

The general designation of the dies is 12. Each die may consist of ametallic block 13 having a bore 14 and a coaxial counterbore 15,providing a through passageway in the block. The blocks are fixedlysupported upon wheel 7 in any suitable manner, with the die openings 14arranged in a row about the periphery of the wheel and in a plane whichis perpendicular to the wheel axis. The means for supporting the dieblocks may consist of radial pockets 16 formed in the wheel periphery tosnugly hold the blocksagainst accidental displacement. To the rear ofeach die pocket, the wheel 7 may be apertured to provide a dischargechute 17 for punchings from the web, produced at the cutting edge 19 ofdie opening 1-4. The blocks for the dies may be supported upon wheel 7in other ways, if desired, to co-operate with the punches in a manner tobe explained.

The wheel 8 which carries the multiplicity of punches it may beconstructed in half-cylindrical sections 20 and 21 embracing the shaft22, and held together by means of It may be equipped with adjustingdevices, such as screws 24 and 25, acting upon the key 26 to hold thewheel 8 in slightly rotated positions upon the shaft for ensuringregistry between the various punches and their co-operative dies onwheel 7/ Wheel 7, of course, is mounted upon a central shaft similar to22, and may or may not include adjusting devices for the purposesstated. Adjusting devices for properly locating one or both of thewheels upon their respective shafts, are subject to modification,substitution, or change of location within the purview of the invention.Also, it is quite possible to etiect assembly of the apparatus withoutincorporating adjustment devices therein, if desired.

All of the punches on Wheel 8 are biased or inclined in the direction ofrotation of the wheel, that is, the head 30 of every punch (FIG. I) isadvanced in the direction of the wheel rotation, with respect to thepunch heel 31 and a radial line of the wheel which passes through thepunch heel. Otherwise stated, an extension of the major axis of everypunch forms a chord on the circle diameter of the punch-carrying wheel,which chord defines an area substantially less than a semi-circle, thepunch axis meeting the wheel periphery at an acute angle at the leadingside of the punch.

The peripheral cutting edge 32 of each punch preferably is in rightplanar relationship to the punch axis, that is, in a plane normal to thepunch axis, this being advantageous to formation of the punch by meansof a simple turning operation. Between the punch body 33 and its cuttingedge 32, the material of the punch may be cut away to provide aconnecting neck 34 which is of lesser diameter than the punch body andits cutting end portion. This undercut at 34 permits the punch head torock within the die opening as shown upon FIG. 4, without damage to thecutting edges. It also discourages any tendency of the punch head toelongate the die opening in entering and leaving with the rocking motionindicated.

By referring to FIG. 4, and the arrows thereon indicating direction ofmovement of the web and the perforating wheels, it will be observed thatthe actual punching operation is performed at lllb, with the cuttingedges of the punch and the die squarely meeting one another beforereaching the common bisecting plane A of the perforating wheels. It willbe noted that by the time the punch reaches the level of plane A, thepunch and die cutting edges have reached, and passed, the state ofmutual parallelism. The state of parallelism between the punch and diecutting edges had occurred well in advance of the wheel bisecting planeA, for example at the position of punch b, FIG. 4.

As the result of the arrangement just described, the punch and die at10b meet squarely to instantaneously press-cut, rather thanprogressively shear, the material of the web in rforming a perforation.The resultant cut is found to be clean and accurate, without formationof any burrs or rough edges at the perforation. The arrangement alsominimizes any tendency of the punchings to hang at the edges of theperforations, as so commonly occurs with the use of rotary perforatingmachines wherein the cut is performed with a shearing action.

FIG. 4 shows, at the punches 19c and 16d, the advantage attained byproviding the undercut at 34, which permits the punch to withdraw fromthe die opening with a rolling motion, preventing the neck portion ofthe punch from contacting and wearing the die opening out of round. Thedies preferably are of a very hard but malleable metal, somewhat softerthan the metal of the punches which are of steel or other hard material.In the event that any of the dies become dull at the cutting edgesurrounding the opening 14, sharpness may be restored by tapping theexposed conical end of the die with a hammer or similar tool, toslightly reduce the size of opening 14, whereupon the wheels 7' and 8may be rotated to cause a punch to reshape the hammered opening in exactconformity with the head of the punch. The procedure effects a quick andaccurate resharpening of the dies whenever necessary.

The series of punches should be supported upon the wheel or drum 8 insuch manner as to avoid all possibility of movement or displacementrelative to the wheel or drum. A simple and effective mounting means forthe punches is illustrated upon the drawings, wherein wheel 8 is shownprovided with an annular shoulder 3-6 and an annular ledge 37, the ledgebeing in a plane perpendicular to the wheel axis. The shoulder as is ofsullicient depth to accommodate an annular clamping ring 33 whichoverlies the ledge 37 and serves to secure the punches between the ringand the ledge. A series of screws 39 threaded into the material of thewheel, with the heads thereof abutting the clamp ring, securely holdsthe clamp ring against all of the punches to maintain the latter infixed position upon Wheel 8.

To establish and maintain the biased or forwardly inclined positions ofthe punches previously mentioned, it may be desirable to form in theledge 37 a series outwardly extending grooves or sockets 40 adapted tosnugly receive the body and heel portions of the punches, leaving thepunch heads 30 exposed at the wheel periphery. For this purpose theouter ends of the sockets are open, as at 41, whereas the inner ends areclosed at 42. The sockets may be sufficiently deep to accommodate half,or less than half, of the punch circumference nicely fitted thereto.With the punches resting in the sockets 40, and the clamping ring 38drawn tightly against all the punches, a rigid structure is achieved forkeeping all the punches in exact registry with their respective dies.

To further insure fixation of the punches upon wheel 8, auxiliary meansmay be provided to resist longitudinal shifting of the punches in theirsockets, if desired. Such means may comprise a continuous annular ridgeor rib 45 upstanding upon the clamp ring inner face 46, to engagecircumferential V-grooves 47 formed on the punches intermediate the bodyportions 13 and the heel portions 31 thereof. The rib or ridge 45 may beintegral with the clamping ring, and should be so dimensioned as to fitsnugly within the V-grooves 47 of the punches in the biased or forwardlyinclined positions of the latter, to eliminate all possibility of axialshifting of the punches in either direction.

As will be understood, the sockets 40 for the punches are biased orinclined in the direction of rotation of wheel 8 to support the punchesin position to co-operate with the dies in the manner of FIG. 4, and aspreviously explained herein. The longitudinal axes of the sockets aretherefore angularly related to a wheel radius passing therethrough, withthe open end of each socket leading the closed end in the direction ofrotation of wheel 8.

In a typical assembly, the wheel 8, having a diameter of seven inches,may carry forty punches, more or less, all arranged to extend equaldistances from the wheel periphery. As previously explained, the punchesare not radially disposed upon the wheel, but are instead inclined inthe direction of wheel rotation. An extension of the axis of any onepunch, toward the wheel center, should miss the center by about oneinch. This will place the punch axis at about 15 degrees angularity to aradius passing through the center of the punch head and the center ofthe wheel. The cutting edge of each punch lhead may be locatedapproximately one-eighth inch beyond the wheel periphery, the exactmeasurement depending upon the extent to which the corresponding dieprojects from the periphery of wheel 7. In any event, the cutting edgesof the punch and the die shall assume a co-planar relationship one tothe other, in advance of reaching the common bisecting plane A of therotating perforating wheels.

The plane of the cutting edge of each die is perpendicular to a radiusof wheel 7; the plane of the cutting edge of each punch is at an angleto a radius of wheel 8, amounting to approximately degrees, or about 15degrees from the perpendicular.

In the operation of the device, the web 9 to be perforated will beautomatically held taut as it passes between the perforating wheels.Feeding of the web may be performed by reason of its contact with theperforating wheels, or, if preferred, the web may be fed by meansseparate and apart from the perforating wheels, it being d understoodthat both forms of feed are comm-only employed in the operation ofexisting perforating machinery.

The shafts carrying the perforating wheels or drums 7 and 8 may supportmore than one pair of such wheels or drums, if a plural number of websis to be operated upon. It is possible also to equip each of the wheels7 and 8 with punches or dies at opposite side margins of the wheels,whereby opposite edge portions of a web may be perforated in a singlepass through the apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. A Web perforating apparatus of the rotary type, comprising incombination, a pair of co-planar rotatable periorating wheels havingperipheries movable in close proximity to accommodate therebetween acorrespondingly movable Web to be perforated, the axes of the wheelslying in a common bisecting plane which includes the point of closestproximity between the wheel peripheries, a series of die members carriedby one of the wheels, a series of co-operative punch members carried bythe other wheel, each of said die members and punch members havingplanar cutting edges, the planar cutting edges of one of said series ofmembers being so inclined that said cutting edges of said one series ofsaid members are inclined to said plane when intersected thereby, andmeans on the wheels fixedly supporting the punch members and die memberson their respective wheels so that the planar cutting edges of the punchmembers and die members are initially presented to one another in fullcontacting parallelism to initiate and complete a cross-cuttingperforating operation upon the intervening web, prior to advancement ofthe punch members and die members to the common bisecting plane of saidwheels.

2. A web perforating apparatus of the rotary type, comprising incombination, a pair of co-planar rotatable perforating wheels havingperipheries movable in close proximity to accommodate therebetween :1correspondingly movable web to be perforated, the axis of the wheelslying in a common bisecting plane which includes the point of closestproximity between the wheel peripheries, a series of die members eachhaving planar cutting edges fixedly carried by one of the Wheels, and aseries of cooperative punch members carried by the other wheel in fixedrelation thereto, the punch members having cutting heads with planarcutting edges, each of the cutting edges of at least one of said set ofmembers being inclined to a radial line passing therethrongh so as to beinitially presented in full contacting parallelism with the planarcutting edges of the other members prior to advancement of the punchmembers and die members to the common bisecting plane of said wheels.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein, the plane of each diemember cutting edge is perpendicular to a radius of the die wheel.

4. A web perforating apparatus: of the rotary type, comprising incombination, a pair of co-planar rotatable perforating Wheels havingperipheries movable in close proximity to accommodate therebetween acorrespondingly movable web to be perforated, the axes of the wheelslying in a common bisecting plane which includes the point of closestproximity between the wheel peripheries, a plurality of duplicate dies,said dies each having a planar cutting edge, means fixedly securing eachdie to one of said wheels with the planar cutting edge of each of saiddies disposed adjacent the periphery and perpendicular to a radius ofthe die wheel, a series of co-operative punches each having cuttingheads each with a planar cutting edge, means fixedly securing each punchto the other of said wheels with the major axis of each punch inclinedforwardly in the direction of rotation of the wheel carrying the punchesfor initially disposing the cutting edge of each punch in contactingparallelism with the cutting edge of a corresponding die at a locationin advance of said bisecting plane.

5. A web perforating apparatus of the rotary type, comprising incombination, a pair of co-planar rotatable perforating wheels havingperipheries movable in close proximity to accommodate therebetween acorrespondingly movable web to be perforated, the axes of the Wheelslying in a common bisecting plane which includes the point of closestproximity between the wheel peripheries, a series of dies fixedlycarried by one of the Wheels, said dies each having a planar cuttingedge substantially perpendicular to a radius of the die wheel, and aseries of co-operative punches carried by the other wheel, the puncheseach being elongate in form and having a head and a body portion, meansfixedly securing the body portion of each punch to the punch-carryingwheel, With the major axis of each punch meeting a radius of said wheelat an acute angle to bias each punch head in the direction of the punchwheel rotation, and a planar cutting edgeon each punch head extendingoutwardly from the periphery of the punch wheel, whereby the cuttingedges of the punches and dies are initially presented to one another infull contacting parallelism.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the cut- 1 ting edge ofeach punch is planar and has its plane in substantial perpendicularityto the major axis of the punch.

7. A web perforating apparatus of the rotary type, comprising incombination, a pair of substantially coplanar rotatable perforatingwheels having parallel axes and having peripheries movable in closeproximity to accommodate therebetween a correspondingly movable web tobe perforated, a series of dies fixedly carried by one of the wheels,said dies each having a planar cutting edge substantially perpendicularto a radius of the die wheel, and a series of co-operative punchescarried by the other Wheel, the punches each being elongate in form andhaving a head and a body portion, means fixedly securing the bodyportion of each punch to the punchcarrying wheel, with the major axis ofeach punch meeting a radius of said wheel at an acute angle to inclineeach punch head in the general direction of the punch wheel rotation,and a cutting edge on each punch head extending outwardly from theperiphery of the punch wheel, the cutting edge of each punch being in aplane normal to its major axis, whereby the cutting edges of the diesand punches are initially presented to one another in full contactingparallelism before passing between said parallel axes.

8. A web perforating apparatus of the rotary type, comprising incombination, a pair of coplanar rotatable perforating wheels havingperipheries movable in close proximity to accommodate therebetween acorrespondingly movable web to be perforated, the axes of the wheelslying in a common bisecting plane which includes the point of closestproximity between the wheel peripheries, a series of dies carried by oneof the wheels and rfixed with respect to the outer periphery of theassociated wheel, said dies each having a planar cutting edgesubstant-ially perpendicular to a radius of the associated wheel, and aseries of co-operating punches carried by the other wheel and being infixed relationship to the outer periphery of the associated wheel, thepunches having cutting heads extending outwardly from the periphery ofthe wheel carrying the punches, each of said dies having a bore thereinfor receiving a co-operating punch, each of said heads having a planarcutting edge being inclined in the direction of rotation of the wheeland with respect to a radial line of said last-mentioned wheel whichpasses through the punch so that the planar cutting edges of aco-operating punch and die reach a state of mutual parallelism with thepunch entering the die and the cutting edges passing the state of mutualparallelism prior to advancement of the co-operating punch and die tothe common bisecting plane of the wheels.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the heads of the punches areundercut adjacent the cutting edge thereof to avoid withdrawal damage tothe dies.

10. A Web perforating apparatus of the rotary type comprising incombination a pair of coplanar rotatable perforating wheels rotatable onsubstantially parallel axes and having peripheries movable in closeproximity to accommodate therebetween a correspondingly movable web tobe perforated, a series of die members carried by one of said wheels atthe outer periphery of said one wheel, a series of cooperative punchmembers carried by the other wheel at the outer periphery thereof, eachof said die member being provided with a female cutting edge, each ofsaid punch members having a male cutting edge adapted to extend intosaid female cutting edge and being of the same shape as each of saidfemale cutting edges, first mounting means fixedly mounting one of saidseries of members on its respective wheel, second mounting meansmounting the other series of members on its respective wheel, said firstand second mounting means cease 8 normally maintaining said cuttingedges in relation to their respective mounting wheels so that matingpairs of male and female cut-ting edges of the punch and die members areinitially moved in succession by said wheels into mutual contact andparallel relationship with one another before passing between said axes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS980,997 Pierpont Jan. 10, 1911 1,171,794 Lawson Feb. 15, 1916 1,581,236Speer Apr. 20, 1926 2,116,391 Gochoel May 3, 1938 2,264,134 Hawley Nov.25, 1941 2,764,238 Rusinoff Sept. 25, 1956

8. A WEB PERFORATING APPARATUS OF THE ROTARY TYPE, COMPRISING INCOMBINATION, A PAIR OF COPLANAR ROTATABLE PERFORATING WHEELS HAVINGPERIPHERIES MOVABLE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO ACCOMMODATE THEREBETWEEN ACORRESPONDINGLY MOVABLE WEB TO BE PERFORATED, THE AXES OF THE WHEELSLYING IN A COMMON BISECTING PLANE WHICH INCLUDES THE POINT OF CLOSESTPROXIMITY BETWEEN THE WHEEL PERIPHERIES, A SERIES OF DIES CARRIED BY ONEOF THE WHEELS AND FIXED WITH RESPECT TO THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THEASSOCIATED WHEEL, SAID DIES EACH HAVING A PLANAR CUTTING EDGESUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO A RADIUS OF THE ASSOCIATED WHEEL, AND ASERIES OF CO-OPERTING PUNCHES CARRIED BY THE OTHER WHEEL AND BEING INFIXED RELATIONSHIP TO THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE ASSOCIATED WHEEL, THEPUNCHES HAVING CUTTING HEADS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE PERIPHERY OFTHE WHEEL CARRYING THE PUNCHES, EACH OF SAID DIES HAVING A BORE THEREINFOR RECEIVING A CO-OPERATING PUNCH, EACH OF SAID HEAD HAVING A PLANARCUTTING EDGE BEING INCLINED IN THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF THE WHEELAND WITH RESPECT TO A RADIAL LINE OF SAID LAST-MENTIONED WHEEL WHICH